The pandemic forced us to change the way we live in so many ways. It’s been a difficult time of change but we have to live with this new normal. From social distancing and distant learning to cancelled trips and vacations, we all had to make changes. What are some of the changes you’ve made that are saving you money? Here are some inexpensive changes I’ve made to help entertain the family at a minimum cost.

Play Board Games

Pre-pandemic my nights and weekends were consumed by kids sports, social gatherings, and other things that consumed my time. Now, the family plays board games like Telestration, scrabble, and Clue. I haven’t played board games since I was a kid and playing Telestration was definitely fun. I do really like this game but you do need at least 4 people to play.

Do Puzzles

My family did a couple 1000 piece puzzles and a couple 500 piece puzzles which consumed a number of hours and weekends together. It was great spending time with the family. A couple of neighbor friends let us borrow their puzzles which were some tough puzzles. Try this 1000 piece puzzle.

Go Camping

If you’re used to traveling and spending nights at hotels for a trip or getaway, why not try camping. If you have a tent and gear, camping is less expensive than hotel staying. I went camping recently and it cost me around $35 per night. Plus you get to spend time with nature and the outdoors with the family. If you need a tent, this is the one we have.  Instant tents are so much more convenient. 

Use Travel Rewards

If you’re going to travel anywhere, try using any reward points you may have. My family went to the beach for one day and we reserved a room at the Holiday Inn using my Chase Rewards at a low points redemption. It was a good time and we didn’t have to pay out of pocket.

Socialize Virtually

You probably have seen the use of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, or Google Meet for people to collaborate at work or have a personal social gathering. I know that Zoom and Google Meet do offer their service at no cost for limited use. I personally have used Zoom and Google Meet to talk to many friends in one virtual room. And it’s no cost, no brainer.

Tie Dye Kit

Tie Dye clothes seem to be making a come back. I ordered a Tie Dye Kit from Amazon, took a couple of my undershirts, and made Tie Dye shirts. It was great to make them with the family and now I have a couple of Tie Dye shirts I can showcase. Plus the kids love theirs as well!

Old Fashion Kicking The Ball

Who says just kicking a soccer ball around isn’t fun? It’s great for the first 10 minutes but try to make it fun by making up some drills, have a contest how long you can juggle, and have a scrimmage…winner gets an ice cream. If you need a soccer ball, take a look here.

Outdoor Inflatable Sprinkler

Not able to or comfortable going to a community pool? I bought an inflatable sprinkler (not the same one but similar) for the kids and they had fun in the sun. Just big enough and it wasn’t hard to clean up.

These are just a few examples how I passed the time and adjusted to the pandemic while trying to keep ourselves entertained. What have you done that was low cost and still had a great time doing it? This pandemic lifestyle doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, just need to be creative. If you are interested in following my journey, email subscribe to get alerts of latest posts or follow me on Facebook.